Stud and rafter



ATTORNEY A. RAFTER STUD AND RAFTER Filed Dec. 4, 1936 Sept. 6, 1938.

Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES! PATENT orties s'rUn AND Retiree.

John C. Rafter, Jr.

Application December 4, 1936, Serial No, 114,152

5 Claims. (Cl.` 189-37) This invention relates to improvements inmetallic beams, studs, rafters and the like for use in buildingconstruction.

Heretofore, metal beams used in building con- 5 struction have been ofthe I-beam type and have been found objectionably heavy and expensive.Also, the usual metal I-beam has required reenforcement of the flangesby means of strips parallel with the web engaging the two flanges l ofthe beam. This reenforcement is necessary due tothe weakness of theflanges and the tendency of the beam to tur-n. That is, the I-beam doesnot satisfactorily resist torques.

It is, therefore, anobject of this invention to l provide a metal beamwhich is considerably lighter in Weight than the metal beams heretoforeused in building construction, and consequently less exp-ensive and moresatisfactory for use in constructing buildings.

A further object is the provision of a metal beam for buildingconstruction which can be formed from sheet metal by means of dies at avery rapid rate, and which has a construction enabling it tosatisfactorily resist torques.

A further object is the provision of a metal beam which is provided withspaced apertures on the longitudinal center line thereof which obviatesthe necessity of cutting the beam for the installation of electricalwires or plumbing.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a metal beam forbuilding construction which can be advantageously substituted for theusual wooden beams and rafters at present employed. The beams hereindisclosed are adapted 355 as supports for flooring, ceilings and roofs,and

for all other purposes where wooden beams have heretofore been used.

These and other advantageous objects, which will later appear, areaccomplished by the sim- 40 ple and practical construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and exhibited in theaccompanying drawing, forming part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a metal beam em- 45 bodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modified form of the invention,

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a portion of a beam constructed inaccordance with the form 50 shown in Fig. 1,

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views of further modifications of theinvention,

Fig. 6 is a sectional View showing in detail the formation of a beadwhen two partsl of the metal 55 beam are welded together, and

' Fig. '7 is a sectional view showing the detail matter in which partsof the modification shown in Figs. 2', 4 and 5 are held together byembossing.

Referring to the drawing, in Fig. 1 a building studV or rafter is shownto comprise a pair of parallel' metal plates l and 2", each of saidplates being provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 3 along thelongitudinal center line thereof. Surrounding each aperture is acylindrical inwardly directed flange 4. The flanges on plate i engagethe flanges on plate 2 along the line 5.

Plates I and 2 are bent outwardly at right angles thereto at 6?, thenupwardly at l, then inward-ly at 8 to provide a flange having adownturned portion 9.

Informing the cylindrical flanges 4 the metal is drawn as far aspossible without destroying the edges of the flanges 4. Obviously, themetal along the line 5 will be considerably thinner than the metal inthe main body of plates l and 2. However, the metal along the line 5 hasbeen hardened and possesses considerable strength, so that when thefianges 4 of plates l and 2 are rigidly connected to each other by buttwelding along the line 5, to provide a circumferential bead lllI (seeFig. 6) there is produced a structure of great rigidity andv strengthandcapable of withstanding extremely large loads, whether distributed orconcentrated. It has been found that a beam of this structure willwithstand a concentrated load of 2800 pounds with no more thandeflection, while I-bea'ms and other metal structures heretoforeemployed will withstand only about 1200 pounds before collapsing. Thebeam herein described is about one third of the weight of beamsheretofore' used and consequently is highly desirable for buildingconstruction in that it is easy to' handle, less expensive due to thesaving on metal, and' due to its weight it minimizes the load in thebuilding.

In practice, a strip of wood is inserted in the beam between theportions 6, l and 8, which enables nails to be driven into the beam forholding flooring or the like.

The spaced apertures along the longitudinal center line of the beam,when used in the construction of dwellings, enables the passage ofelectric conduits, pipes and plumbing devices Without necessitatingcutting of apertures in the beam as has heretofore been the case withother types of beams.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a modied form of the invention in which a pairo-f parallel plates 2| and 22 have a plurality of spaced apertures alongthe longitudinal center line thereof, a portion of the plate surroundingthe apertures being cupped at 23 and provided with inturned anges 24,the anges on plates 2i and 22 abutting each other and secured togetherby spot welding or the like. The plates have outturned portions 25 whichare turned upwardly at 26, then outwardly at 2T-to provide flanges whichare covered by a plate 28, which is secured to the ilanges by embossingat 30 and as shown in detail in Fig. '7.

A wood strip 29 is inserted between the plates and the cover 28. ture anunusually strong beam is obtained hav; ing characteristics as outlinedabove.

The beams herein described require no strengthening as is the casewithrthe usual I beam, and they are capable of effectively resistingtorques. v

In Fig. 4 is shown a modified form of the invention in which the metalbeam or rafter is shown to comprise a pair of parallel metal plates 3land 32 provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 33 along thelongitudinal center line thereof, each `aperture lbeing surrounded by aninwardly directed ange 34, the anges on plate Si engaging the flanges onplate 32 and rigidly secured to each other by butt-welding to provide abead 35 in the same manner as described above in connection with Fig. 1.

Plates 3! and 32 are bent outwardly at right angles thereto at 36' thenupwardly at 31 then outwardly to provide a flange 38 which is doubledback upon itself thus producing a channel having an -upper wall 39.'I'he channel produced by ange 38 and the upper wall 39 receives theedges 40 of the plate lll, said edges of the plate being bent upwardlyat the edges of the walls 39 so that the main body of the plate is flushwith the wall 39. The plate is then secured to the walls 39 by spotwelding at the points 42.

In Fig. 5 is shown a further modification in` which a pair of plates 50and 5l are provided vnth a plurality of space-d apertures along thelongitudinal center line thereof, each aperture being surrounded byinwardly directed iianges 52 which abut each other and are rmly securedtogether byrwelding to provide a YYbead 53 Vin ythe same manner asdescribed in connection with Fig. 1. The plates 5I and 50 are providedwith outturned ianges 5l! which are covered by a plate 55 the edges ofwhich are bent around the flanges 5d. The plate 55 is provided withdownwardly extending crimps 53 which engage the inner walls of theplates 5i? and 5I, thus providing a very rigid structure.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive andillustrative only, and not as restrictive or limitative of theinvention, of which obviously embodiments may be constructed, includingmany modifications, without departing By means of the above struc- '4from the general scope herein indicated and denoted in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is: Y l. In a metal structural member forbuilding construction, a pair of spaced plates provided with a pluralityof spaced apertures along the longitudinal center line thereof, inwardlydirected flanges surrounding said apertures and integral with saidplates, said flanges being tapered to a thin hard edge the edges ofanges on one plate engaging the edges of the flanges on the other plate,and secured to each other by a metal bead formed by Welding said edgesto each other.

2. The method of making a structural beam for building construction,comprising forming a plurality of spaced apertures in a pair of plates,drawing the metal surrounding said apertures to provide flanges taperingto a thin hard edge surroundingl said apertures, placing said plates sothat theA edges of the flanges on one plate will abut the edges of theanges on the other plate, then securing said anges together by weldingthe edges to provide well dened metal beads at the junctions of theanges.

3. The vmethod of making a structural member for building construction,comprising forming in a pair of plates a plurality of spaced aperturessurrounded by cylindrical flanges' tapering to a thin hard edge,engaging the edges of the flanges of one plate with the flanges of theother, and rigidly securing said flanges to each other by welding toproduce pronounced beads of metal at the junctions of said flanges.

4. In a metal structural member for building construction, a` pair ofspaced plates provided with a plurality of spacedv apertures along thelongitudinal centen line thereof, inwardly directed flanges surrounding`said apertures and integral with said plates, each of said flangesbeing tapered to a relatively thinv edge, the edges of the flanges onone plate engaging the edges of the anges on the other plate, andsecured to each other by a metal bead formed by welding said edges toIeach other. l

5. The methodl of making a structural beam for building construction,comprising forming a plurality of spaced apertures in a pair of plates,drawing the metal surrounding said apertures to provide anges taperingto relatively thin edges surrounding said apertures, placing -saidplates so that the edges of the flanges on one plate will abut the edgesof the flanges on the other plate, then securing said flanges togetherby welding the edges to provide well dened metal Abeads at the junctionsof the flanges.

ALBERT RAF'I'ER.

